At an emergency EU meeting in Brussels Friday on the Ukraine crisis, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that the "already dangerous situation" in Ukraine had now entered "a whole new dimension raising concerns that the situation is slipping out of control." Steinmeier's sentiments were echoed by other EU foreign ministers who are considering further sanctions on Russia.

"This needs to stop, especially if we want to avoid direct military confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian military forces," said the German foreign minister, referring to Kiev's claims that 1.000 regular Russian troops had entered Ukraine, capturing the south-eastern town of Novoazovsk.

Russia denies the accusation. Friday, President Vladimir Putin Friday likened Ukraine army operations against pro-Russian insurgents to the Nazi occupation of Russian cities, especially Stalingrad, in World War Two. He added: “… no one is thinking of unleashing a large-scale conflict with Russia. I want t remind you that Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers.”